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Team Sahlen leads Grand-Am DP class at 'Roar Before the Rolex 24' test at Daytona

January 4, 2013

Team Sahlen driver Dane Cameron posted the fastest lap in testing on Saturday at Daytona International Speedway. Photo by Grand-Am Road Racing

Team Sahlen is proving to be a quick learner in its move to the premier Daytona Prototype class. Dane Cameron drove the team's new No. 42 BMW/Riley to the fastest lap of the “Roar Before the Rolex 24” Grand-Am Series testing on Jan. 5 at Daytona International Speedway.

Cameron turned a lap of 1:42.101 (125.523 mph) in the car co-driven by Wayne Nonnamaker, Simon Pagenaud and Bruno Junqueira to lead the field of 17 Daytona Prototypes. The three-day test concludes on Jan. 6, with the Rolex Sports Car Series season opener set for Jan. 26-27.

“We've got a lot of catching up to do, because many of the DP teams have in years of experience what we have in days,” Cameron said. “Today is our eighth day with the car, and we're still learning. We're working on a few science projects here and there, and seeing what works.”

Patrick Long led the production-based GT class with a lap of 1:48.569 (118.045 mph) in the No. 73 Park Place Motorsports Porsche GT3.

Napleton Racing led the new GX field for the second straight day. Shane Lewis ran a lap of 1:56.167 (110.324 mph) in the team's No. 16 Porsche Cayman, faster than co-driver David Donohue's best lap on Friday.

In the Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge, Scott Maxwell was fastest in Grand Sport practice with a lap of 1:57.149 (109.399 mph) in the No. 55 Aston Martin Vantage, a tick faster than Multimatic Motorsports teammate and defending GS champion David Empringham (109.289 mph). Andrew Aquilante, who made the most of his No. 35 Subaru Road Racing Team Subaru WRX-STI's all-wheel drive on a wet track on Jan. 4, topped the afternoon session and was third overall with a lap of 109.399 mph.